Climate Action Template: Grades 3-5
Activities
5 hoursGrades3, 4, 5Social Studies, English Language Arts, Mathematics, Visual and Performing Arts
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Written by Emily Townsend
About this lesson
- This template guides teachers and students through a seven-step process to design and carry out a school-based climate action project, covering topics such as energy use, waste, water, composting, fast fashion, and climate storytelling.
- Students will set goals, identify stakeholders, plan supplies and timelines, and complete a group reflection.
- The template includes teacher-facing setup slides, a filled-in recycling project example, and a vocabulary deck.
Preview the lesson plan
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Everything you need to teach it
- Climate Action Vocabulary DeckOpen
Teaching tips
- The template is very flexible; teachers can use it as a whole-class collaborative project, have small groups each complete a plan and then vote on one to implement, or assign it as a structured group activity with teacher modeling at each step.
- The scoring rubric in Step 5 (rating ideas by impact, interest, and ease) makes for a concrete discussion tool and helps students practice mathematical reasoning while making decisions.
- The vocabulary deck can be printed or projected and pre-taught before the project begins, making it useful for differentiating for English language learners or students who need additional support.
From the scientist review
This resource inspires students with climate action projects conducted by peers before tasking them with formulating their own climate action plan. Directions are clear and a comprehensive glossary is included. Throughout, students analyze costs and impacts in a rigorous way. This lesson empowers students to think about how they can act to mitigate climate change and is recommended for teaching.
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About the teacher writer
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Emily Townsend
K-8 ELL Teacher
Emily Townsend is an educator with 15 years of teaching experience as both a general education teacher and an English Language Learner (ELL) specialist. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Drake University and a Master of Arts in Teaching, Leadership, and Cultural Competency from the University of Iowa.
